This morning, I would ask you to turn with me in the Old Testament to Psalm 2, Psalm 2. And then also, in the New Testament, to Matthew 27, where we will begin reading at verse 62 through verse 15 of chapter 28, considering in a particular way verses 11 through 15 of Matthew chapter 28. Psalm 2 and Matthew 27 and 28. Beginning with Psalm 2, hear now the word of the Lord. Why do the nations conspire and the peoples plot in vain? The kings of the earth take their stand, and the rulers gather together against the Lord and against his anointed one. Let us break their chains, they say, and throw off their fetters. The one enthroned in heaven laughs. The Lord scoffs at them. Then he rebukes them in his anger and terrifies them in his wrath, saying, I have installed my king on Zion, my holy hill. I will proclaim the decree of the Lord. He said to me, You are my son. Today I have become your father. Ask of me, and I will make the nations your inheritance, the ends of the earth your possession. You will rule them with an iron scepter. You will dash them to pieces like pottery. Therefore, you kings, be wise. Be warned, you rulers of the earth. Serve the Lord with fear and rejoice with trembling. Kiss the son, lest he be angry and you be destroyed in your way. For his wrath can flare up in a moment. Blessed are all who take refuge in him. Matthew 27, beginning at verse 62. The next day, the day after our Lord's crucifixion, the next day, the one after preparation day, the chief priests and the Pharisees went to Pilate. Sir, they said, we remember that while he was still alive, that deceiver said, After three days I will rise again. So give the order for the tomb to be made secure until the third day. Otherwise his disciples may come and steal the body and tell the people that he has been raised from the dead. This last deception will be worse than the first. Take a guard, Pilate answered. Go, make the tomb as secure as you know how. So they went and made the tomb secure by putting a seal on the stone and posting the guard. After the Sabbath at dawn on the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to look at the tomb. There was a violent earthquake, for an angel of the Lord came down from heaven and going to the tomb, rolled back the stone and sat on it. His appearance was like lightning and his clothes were white as snow. The guards were so afraid of him that they shook and became like dead men. The angel said to the women, Do not be afraid, for I know that you are looking for Jesus who was crucified. He is not here. He has risen just as he said. Come and see the place where he lay. Then go quickly and tell his disciples he has risen from the dead and is going ahead of you into Galilee. There you will see him. Now I have told you. So the women hurried away from the tomb, afraid, yet filled with joy, and ran to tell his disciples, suddenly Jesus met them. Greetings, he said. They came to him, clasped his feet, and worshipped him. Then Jesus said to them, Do not be afraid. Go and tell my brothers to go to Galilee. There they will see me. While the women were on their way, some of the guards went into the city and reported to the chief priests everything that had happened. When the chief priests had met with the elders and devised a plan, they gave the soldiers a large sum of money, telling them, You are to say his disciples came during the night and stole him away while we were asleep. If this report gets to the governor, we will satisfy him and keep you out of trouble. So the soldiers took the money and did as they were instructed. And this story has been widely circulated among the Jews to this very day. May God bless the reading and the preaching and the hearing of his word this morning. Beloved in the Lord Jesus Christ, death could not keep its prey. And neither could the chief priests and the Pharisees keep Christ's tomb closed, tight, and sealed. They tried. They got the permission of Pilate. They got his official seal. No one would dare to touch that. They were given Roman guards, possibly, most likely, up to 12 of them, the best that money could buy. No one would dare to mess with them. And all of these extra precautions, you see, had given these religious leaders a sense of security. But all of that earthly show of power and authority and strength was foolish in the sight of heaven. And we can almost hear the Lord laughs. And when all of their efforts had failed, these leaders did not humble themselves in the sight of the Lord. They did not repent and believe the truth, but they lie some more. They make up a story. And therefore, from the very earliest moments on that first Easter morning began resurrection rejection. Resurrection rejection, first of all, of the astonishing report given by the guards. Verse 11, while the women were on their way, some of the guards went into the city and reported to the chief priests everything that had happened. they come with an astonishing report of the things that they had witnessed. The violent earthquake and the sudden coming down of the flaming angel. We know that because the Bible says they were so afraid of Him that they shook. And they became like dead men. And therefore, possibly seeing the angel, possibly seeing Him roll away the stone and the seal being broken. But no doubt they report that astonishing news of the most important detail, the body was gone. Now, I believe that Christ was already gone from the tomb when the angel rolled away the stone. He didn't need that stone to be rolled away in order for Him to come out, we know. And the angel rolled away that stone to show that indeed He had risen, that the tomb was empty. But we know that they brought that detail, that the body was gone, to the chief priest because of the reaction of the chief priest. They needed a cover-up. They needed to cover up with a reason for the empty tomb. Because for them, belief in the resurrection simply was not an option. It was out of the question. And with regard to this astonishing report, it was a report we know that was dreaded by the chief priest. Verse 63 of chapter 27, again we read, They say to Pilate, Sir, we remember that while he was still alive, that deceiver said, After three days, I will rise again. That's the reason they wanted the tomb secured. But also, they say, this last deception, if he were to be stolen and the disciples would spread that news, this last deception would be worse than the first deception. This very report was dreaded by the chief priests. If only they could get past this third day, then they could breathe easy. After all, they had witnessed his power. They had witnessed His following, the multitudes growing. And at this point, they just were not confident. And they could not have a report that Christ rose again on the third day after His death. They could not have a report like that, gain credibility, and be believed. Because that would mean that just maybe this Jesus was telling the truth. That would mean that he might very well be who he claimed to be. But even worse yet, that would mean that these religious leaders were wrong, that they were not credible, they would lose the confidence of the Jewish nation. That would mean, heaven forbid, that they had failed to get rid of this troublemaker. Indeed, they were more concerned about how they would look before the eyes of men than how they would look before God. But really, ultimately, this astonishing report is declared by God through the mouths of heathen guards. God uses even His enemies to fulfill His purpose. Here He uses them to declare the most glorious, redemptive truth of Christ's victory over the grave. And He declares it by those who didn't even believe it. And it is declared to those who tried to prevent it. Again, we can hear the laughter of God as the chief priests received the very first news of Jesus' resurrection, even before the disciples. And they hear it from the very guards that they had requested, from the very guards they had put their confidence in, from these very ones that they had set up to guard the tomb, and now these very same guards that they had trusted become their own witnesses with the very testimony. that the religious leaders had tried to prevent. And again, the effect is that they don't yield to the truth, but they reject it. They reject the resurrection, and they work to falsify it in the second place with an absurd plan. And that's the way of unbelief, isn't it? The way of unbelief is always to try to get rid of, to cover up the truth. Notice, beginning in verse 12 again, when the chief priests had met with the elders and devised a plan, they gave the soldiers a large sum of money, telling them, you are to say his disciples came during the night and stole him away while we were asleep. If this report gets to the governor, we will satisfy him and keep you out of trouble. What's interesting, at least it's not reported, but it seems clear that they don't question the guards, but they accept their report and the details of the report as entirely true. They didn't accept it by faith, but they accept the details of the report as being true. And they devised this absurd plan of intentional deceit. They go into executive session. The chief priests now call in the elders, and we can only imagine what they said behind closed doors. This is exactly what we didn't want to happen. Now what do we do? This is going to be bad. The text says they met and devised a plan. And the original language helps us to understand that what they did was to form a plan of deceit, to deceive. That was their intention, not to tell the truth, but to intentionally tell a lie to cover up the truth. Boys and girls, sort of a reminder that when you tell a lie, you need to tell another lie and then another lie after that in order to cover up the first lies that you told. But we cannot miss the antithesis here, The antithesis between light and dark, between good and evil, between the truth and the lie. As the women, those who were believers, were going off to tell the truth of the resurrection and even were blessed by meeting the resurrected Lord. As they were going off in one direction, as it were, to tell the truth of the resurrection, these guards were on their way to those who would construct a lie in order to explain the obvious truth of the empty tomb, hoping that that lie would cancel out any belief in the resurrection. An absurd plan of intentional deceit, but also with senseless details. Notice, senseless details that are wrapped in a bribe. Now, I think that the bribe all by itself proves that it was a lie. Why would the guards need to be bribed if they were telling the truth? and notice it had to be big a big bribe the text says it was a large sum of money notice it cost these religious leaders a whole lot more to keep this law or keep the truth from being told than what it cost them to have judas betray jesus in the first place it had to be big big because the guards were staking their reputation on this lie They would be admitting that they were sleeping and therefore then also confessing a neglect of their duty. It really didn't make sense. But the guards settled for temporary earthly rewards because indeed the love of money is the root of all kinds of evil. And notice that the bribe is given and received with a promise. Verse 14 again, If this report gets to the governor, we will satisfy him and keep you out of trouble. If Pilate hears about it, if he happens to do a formal investigation, we will come in and we will vouch for you. We will tell Pilate that we were satisfied with your work. You did everything that we asked you to do, everything that we expected. We're satisfied. Everything's okay. That was important. It was important that these guards receive this guarantee because the penalty for losing a prisoner, and I suspect even a corpse, The penalty was death. But it's ironic that these religious leaders give the guards all the assurance and satisfaction that they want, that they needed. But the only true satisfaction, the only true assurance, beloved, is satisfaction for sin. And the assurance of forgiveness, which comes only from the risen Lord Jesus Christ, the very one whom they were rejecting. But notice, too, that these senseless details were also filled with holes, like a bucket with holes that doesn't hold water. This story would bring more questions than give answers. Sleeping? Really? How could it be that all of you were sleeping so soundly at exactly the same time while these disciples who were distraught, who were beside themselves with sadness, were somehow able to know that you were all sleeping at the very same time very soundly. And somehow they were able to pull themselves together in somewhat of a calm and cool and collected fashion and come in and undermine your one and only task, which was to guard the tomb. How is that possible? How could it be that not one of you could hear? Not one of you would notice the commotion. And there would be a commotion trying to roll that stone back up the hill a little bit. It was probably set on a channel and rolled down the channel easily in front of the tomb, but it had to be rolled back up. And it took not just one, but maybe a couple, maybe two, three, who knows how many men it would have taken heaving and hoeing as they did so. How could it be that not one of you could hear it? But ultimately, you were sleeping? Well, then how do you know that the body was stolen? As someone has said, one half of the lie destroys the other half. The fact that they were sleeping destroys the fact that they say the body was stolen. A little bit like in our family some years ago when the children were younger, and we would close a meal with prayer, and maybe one of the children would say, she had her eyes open when we were praying. Or he had his eyes open. We would say, well, really? How do you know? And it didn't take long for them to figure out that they had been caught. But we also see the holes in the story with regard again to the heartbroken disciples. They indeed were heartbroken. They didn't know what to do or what to think. They never considered Jesus' words about rising again on the third day. But the religious leaders did. They worried about the third day. The disciples were simply trying to stay alive. They were a bit in danger too. And they had all deserted Him in the Garden of Gethsemane. They would not risk arrest and execution for robbing a grave. And later on, many of them would not hold to a story that would get them martyred if it was not true. Ultimately, beloved, the senseless details expose the reality. The guards knew full well that they did not fall asleep, that there was no theft. This lie was so without credibility, it was so transparent, see-through, that it really proves the opposite. It points to the truth of the resurrection that was reported. Yet, the guards sell their souls for silver to reject the resurrection and embrace an absurd plan that enslaves those who participate. Verse 15 says, So the soldiers took the money and did as they were instructed. And this story has been widely circulated among the Jews to this very day. They were bound to this lie. The religious leaders and the guards were bound to tell this lie and then to retell it and to live by it and to defend it. But then they would also die by it. Not knowing and claiming and believing the truth of the crucified and living Lord Jesus Christ that alone sets one free. That alone gives one hope for this life and the next, hope beyond the grave. That alone delivers from Satan, the father of lies, who does not want the truth of his crushed head to be believed. Satan has been busy with the lie from the beginning, claiming that the Word of God is a lie, knowing that Christ's resurrection is his death blow. And therefore desiring to take as many with him as possible. And therefore he leads this resurrection rejection which only leads in the third place toward absolute death. And this story has been widely circulated among the Jews to this very day. A continual rejection. Now Matthew of course is talking about the time in which he wrote this gospel many years later. But it didn't end there. Justin Martyr, who lived from around 114 to 165, also writes of the same story, the same lie being perpetuated and told. And today we know that it continues to be told by the likes of the Jesus Seminar that refuses the resurrection of Jesus Christ and comes up with many, many different theories, including that his body was stolen by the disciples. It continues to circulate among the Jews. And the Jewish leaders, you see, kept their own people from accepting that only truth that sets one free. That truth of the Messiah for whom they had longed and looked forward to for so very long. It was bad enough that these leaders rejected Him. But what was worse was they misled their nation. And the truth is this, their last deception was worse than the first. They deceived the people and Pilate with false accusations and charges to frame an innocent and a righteous man. But this last deception is now worse as this last deception strips mankind of their only hope. But again, that's the way of the devil, isn't it? Because, beloved, if there is no resurrection, there is no Savior, there is no Redeemer, there is no salvation. Paul talks about that in 1 Corinthians 15. But if it is preached that Christ has been raised from the dead, how can some of you say that there is no resurrection of the dead? If there is no resurrection of the dead, then not even Christ has been raised. And if Christ has not been raised, our preaching is useless and so is your faith. More than that, we are then found to be false witnesses about God, for we have testified about God that He raised Christ from the dead, but He did not raise Him if, in fact, the dead are not raised. For if the dead are not raised, then Christ has not been raised either. And if Christ has not been raised, your fate is futile, you are still in your sins, then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ are lost. If only for this life we have hope in Christ, we are to be pitied more than all men. How devastating it is if Christ has not been raised. There is no hope beyond the grave. But Paul goes on, but Christ has indeed been raised from the dead. the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. And that means that those who reject Jesus Christ, those who refuse to kiss the Son, as the psalmist says, who refuse to trust in Him by faith alone, they will be the objects of His righteous anger. They will be destroyed. Satan knows. He knows that because of the truth of the resurrection of Jesus Christ, that means that he has lost his accusation against, his charge against believers, and his grip on believers. He knows that he has been defeated. Because Jesus Christ has made the payment for sin, it's paid in full, but not only that, the resurrection proves it is accepted in full. And therefore there is forgiveness of sins, it is sure, and God brings us into his family for Jesus' sake, and we have eternal life. Because the grave is not the end for you and me. It's been conquered. It is done. And Satan knows that the Son of God is enthroned in heaven and that he rules righteously and justly. Beloved, the lie about the resurrection of Jesus Christ, that it didn't really happen, simply cannot stand against the testimony of the Word of God. The Word of God clearly gives the details of the resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ. The witnesses were plentiful. Just like the witnesses to His death. We know that He died. The Spirit in His side and the water and the blood that came forth from His side is proof of His physical death. But the witnesses were also plentiful to His resurrection, His disciples. Luke in Acts 1 verse 3 says, After His suffering, He showed Himself to these men and gave many convincing proofs that He was alive. Luke says over a period of 40 days. Paul in 1 Corinthians 15 again says, He appeared to more than 500 of the brothers at the same time, most of whom are still living at the time of Paul's writing. Jesus Himself in Revelation chapter 1 says, I am the first and the last. I am the living one. I was dead, and behold, I am alive forever and ever. And I hold the keys of death and Hades. Very simply, whether one goes to heaven or goes to hell, It all depends on Jesus Christ and that one's relationship with Him. Beloved, all the attempts to get rid of, to kill off, to prove that God doesn't exist are foolish because He is from everlasting to everlasting. It is not man who is able to destroy God, but God who will destroy those who reject Him. Yet He is eternally merciful and gracious to those who find rest and salvation in the living Lord Jesus Christ alone. The lie about the resurrection simply cannot stand against the testimony of the truth of the Word of God. The truth of the resurrection of Jesus Christ, beloved, points to the fulfilled promises of God to send a Redeemer to save His people for Himself. The truth of the resurrection points to the believer's assurance that Christ has opened paradise because He has been raised, as Paul says, and He has been raised for our justification, as we said earlier. That He has made us right with God. And therefore, as Peter says in Acts 4, after talking about Christ's death and resurrection, he says, Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved. And therefore, the truth of the resurrection of Jesus Christ points to the believer's comfort throughout this life. Indeed, resurrection rejection continues. Satan is busy and active. The church is under attack. As we said Friday evening, the world hates Christians and Christianity. But our comfort is that the living Lord Jesus Christ is coming again. And when He does, he will put all of his enemies under his feet and he will take his bride to his father forever. He will bring his own safely through this life to the life to come. And that means no matter what difficulties and hardships we may face in this life, and some of you are facing them right this very moment, I know that. But no matter what our God may visit us with in regard to hardships and troubles of life. Our living Lord Jesus Christ tells us everything is going to be okay. It is fine, because He is living. The truth of the resurrection points also to the believer's call, beloved, to serve and worship this Lord and King with gladness, to confess His name alone, that He lives, that He is the only hope. And to boast of Him as Paul taught us. To glory in His will. So many, even those who claim the name Christian, live today as if He is still dead. But may our lives reflect and represent the truth that He lives. Beloved, our living Lord Jesus Christ is busy and active for us on our account, even at this moment, preparing a place for us and us for that heavenly place by the work, by the sanctifying work of the Holy Spirit. He is busy ever pleading our cause before our Heavenly Father. He is busy protecting us from sin and temptation and delivering us from evil. And when we do fall, assuring us of His gracious pardon. And He is busy providing us with all that we need, both now and forevermore. Death could not keep its prey. But our resurrected and living Lord Jesus Christ promises that He will not lose even one of those who have been given to Him by His Father. He will not lose one. Not one will be snatched from His hand. Dear people of God, God's Word is true. Whoever believes on the Lord Jesus Christ shall be saved. Because as the psalmist says, blessed are those who take refuge in Him. And therefore we will sing, I know that my Redeemer lives. What comfort that He lives and all that that means. What comfort this sweet sentence gives. Amen. Let's pray together. O Lord God, our Heavenly Father, once again we rejoice. Give thanks and sing that our salvation is sure because Jesus Christ lives. We thank You for our Savior. We praise Your name for His blessed work, a work which we could not do, a work which was perfect, a work which You have accepted, a work which will never run out of its effectiveness for all those whom You bring to Yourself. a work which we may rely on and trust forever and ever. And, Father, we pray that the truth of our living Lord Jesus Christ and His rule over us even now will be our focus, our guard, our guide, and our stay as we continue to walk this life. Thank you, Father, for such a great salvation. In Jesus' name we pray. Amen. Thank you.